Keith Laverty – Seattle Running Coach
From: $170.00 / month and a $19.00 sign-up fee
50% off your first month! 20 years experience across roads, trails, ultras. 2:24 Marathoner. Parent-athlete. Tailored, holistic approach. Enjoy the process!
Description
Seattle running coach Keith Laverty helps runners of all levels meet their personal goals. Whether you are heading towards your first 5k or – like Keith – in your ninth year of ultras, Keith will design a custom training plan based on your goals, lifestyle, skills, and needs.
*** 50% off First Month for month-to-month Coaching – Coupon Code: 85offlaverty ***
LEVELS: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
TYPES: Road, Trail
DISTANCES: 5k/10k/Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra
TRAINING PLATFORM: Final Surge
TRAINING PLAN: Individual, customized training plan
COMMUNICATION: Unlimited email, unlimited text, unlimited phone
RESPONSE TIME: Within 24 hours
LOCATION: Bainbridge Island, WA
IN-PERSON SESSIONS: No, online coaching only
SPECIALTIES
I can work with all experiences of running, whether new to the sport or a veteran runner looking to discover and unlock new ways to improve or approach their training. Coming from a track/road background combined with several years of MUT (Mountain, Trail, Ultra) running; I’ve been able to show versatility in a wide range of distances (anything 5k to 50 mile) and surface types.
I work toward developing the same skills with my athletes, focusing on getting the basics right, developing overall endurance, strength, movement, running economy, mental training and speed; all while fostering a positive relationship with running. This also includes guidance on goal-setting and event preparation, gear, race strategy, heat training strategy, recovery, nutrition – including pre- and post-run fueling, and race day fueling.
PHILOSOPHY
First and foremost, my philosophy is to build a training plan that fits best for the athlete based on their goals, experiences, lifestyle and what they respond to best. Not everyone can respond well to higher volume, while others can perform their best with less volume but more focus on intensity with 2-3 key workouts per week. And that is what makes our sport so unique – there’s never a truly one size fits all training strategy!
Every athlete also has many other life demands – work, family/kids, pregnancy, traveling – so my program will work around these to best fit training into this. With enough regular communication, we can make this happen!
Finally, remember to keep it fun! Even when you’re in the middle of a big training block, or during a race, remember why you love or got into running in the first place. Reminding yourself and writing down your “Why’s” before bigger challenges and that it’s okay for your “Why” to evolve and change over time. During tough sections or moments of a trail race or a long run, for instance, I’ll remind myself to smile and being thankful for being healthy, injury-free and to be able to explore the landscapes that I’m running through. And not tying my self-worth to my performances or race results/outcomes.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
I have been a Team RunRun coach since late 2017 and have been very fortunate to coach and guide over 50 awesome athletes and individuals during this time. My experience has ranged from 5k road races, 100 and 200-mile mountain ultras as well as guidance designed for staying healthy in the long-term without specific race goals. Prior to that, I was a go-to resource for training plans, coaching, and advice for friends and colleagues, going all the way back to my early 20s. I have also had the opportunity of coaching my amazing wife, Elisa. Coaching Elisa has included training during and post pregnancy, in addition to balancing a job and all of the other life stressors with training. It’s been a great challenge but rewarding to see her progression!
I’m thrilled to begin making a lasting difference and positive impact for the athletes I’ve worked with.
ABOUT ME
I’m a husband and a father to an active, sweet, 5-year old boy, Luke. So far, I’ve learned that stroller runs + hills make for a solid workout and the agility required to avoid stepping on LEGO sets.
I’m a huge collector of music and often listen to KEXP or Spotify playlists to discover new artists. Lover of podcasts especially in 2020 as a way to destress while learning something interesting or different! I’m always open to hearing any recommendations!
Current sponsors and support include: rabbit, Eagle Harbor Heath and Poulsbo Running.
BIG INFLUENCES
A lot of my training, philosophies and approaches over the years have been influenced by Jack Daniels, Jason Koop, Tom Cotner, Max King, Dr. Shawn Bearden, David & Megan Roche, Jay Dicharry (physical therapist), Dylan Bowman, Tom Heinonen and learnings from several other active members of the running community. As a coach, I believe it’s important to stay a student of the sport, stay current on latest studies/meta-analysis, and to continually ask questions to further understand the science and the art of running.
RACING HISTORY
~300 races since 2003 over a diverse range of distances and surfaces, going back to sophomore year of high school track in Woodinville, WA. Competed in XC and track as a walk-on in the highly competitive University of Oregon program for two years. Competed in several U.S. national championship races post-collegiately.
Over 75 overall race wins in trail and road events including: McDowell Mountain Frenzy 50 Miler, Wy’east Wonder 50k, Cascade Super Ultra 50k (CR), Perpetua Coast 50k and 30k, Gorge Waterfalls 50k, GOAT Run 50k (CR), Baker Lake 50k (CR), Millersylvania 50k (CR), Tiger Peak Challenge 50k, Orcas Island 25k x 2, Backcountry Rise 20 Miler, Sun Mountain 25k, Stumptown Trail Runs Half, Deception Pass 25k, Capitol Peak 25k, Saturnalia 10k, Beacon Rock 25k (CR), Dirty Turtle 25k, Cougar Mountain 19.5 Miler and 5 Miler, Baker Lake Classic 25k, Fort Ebey Kettles Trail Marathon (CR), Fragrance Lake Trail Half, Capital City Half, North Olympic Discovery Half and Whidbey Island Half.
Other accolades & memorable adventure highlights include:
- 3rd, 2023 Seattle Marathon
- 2nd, 2023 Crystal Mountain Hill Climb
- 6th, 2022 Gorge Waterfalls 100k
- 1st 100-Mile Finish, 2021 Teanaway Country 100 (with 31k of vert!)
- Dosewallips River Trail to East Fork Quinault FKT, unsupported
- Olympic Adventure Trail (OAT) FKT, unsupported
- Dyes Inlet Circumnavigation FKT, unsupported
- 2nd, 2021 Vashon Island 50k
- 3rd, 2019 Race the Wolf 25k Skyrace
- 3rd, 2018 White River 50 Miler
- 7th, 2018 Chuckanut 50k
- 1st, 2018 North Olympic Discovery Marathon
- 1st, 2018 & 2017 Rhody Run 12k
- 2nd, 2017 Mt. Hood 50k
- 9th, 2017 Chuckanut 50k
- 24th, 2017 The North Face 50 Mile Championship
- 2016 Broken Arrow Skyrace VK + 26k double
- 11th, 2016 Lake Sonoma 50 Miler
- 4th, 2016 PNW XC Regional Championship 10k
- 8th, 2015 U.S. Trail Half Championships (Lake Padden Trail Half)
- 10th, 2013 Eugene Marathon
- 2007 NIRCA XC National Champion (collegiate running clubs) in Bloomington, IN
- Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in the Grand Canyon
- Circumnavigation of Mt. St. Helens (Loowit Trail)
- The Grand Loop in Olympic National Park
All trail and ultra results here on UltraSignup.
All FKTs and respective trip reports here on FastestKnownTime.com.
CERTIFICATIONS
- Certified UESCA Ultrarunning Coach
PRs
Roads/Trail:
- 10k – 31:20 (2018 Mukilteo Turkey Trot)
- 12k – 39:24 (2018 Rhody Run)
- Half Marathon – 1:10:22 (2019 Mercer Island)
- Marathon – 2:24:29 (2019 California International Marathon)
- 50k – 3:12:13 (2018 Millersylvania)
- 50 Mile – 6:57:31 (2018 McDowell Mountain Frenzy)
- 100k – 9:39:46 (2022 Gorge Waterfalls)
- 100 Mile – 30:30 (2021 Teanaway Country)
Track:
- Mile – 4:23 (2008 UW Indoor Open)
- 5,000m – 14:52 (2009 San Francisco Distance Carnival)
- 10,000m – 31:22 (2009 Willamette Invite)
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
- 2018 – Ranked 5th top 50k times in North America (3:12) by UltraRunning Magazine
- 2017 – Ranked 22nd top 50k times in North America (3:22) by UltraRunning Magazine
CONTACT KEITH
Finding a coach who is a great fit for you is really important. We encourage you to email your coach prior to signing up so you can connect, communicate, and ensure a good athlete/coach fit.
PUBLICATIONS
- How to Tame the Devil – Tips for Managing the Devil’s Gulch 100 miler
- Mental Training Tips
- Saturnalia 10k VIDEO Race Report
- Saturnalia 10k Race Report – 1st place overall and CR, 2023
- Seattle Marathon Race Report – 3rd place overall, 2023
- Winter Training Tips
- Why I’m Racing a 10k Trail Race (and why you should too!)
- Crystal Mountain Hill Climb – 9/9/23
- Capital City Half Marathon Race Report – 5/21/23
- Podcast Feature: ‘Live from Chamonix’ with Keith Laverty – Singletrack with Mathias Eichler – 8/26/22
- Podcast Feature: ‘Best of the Island’ with Keith Laverty – Singletrack with Mathias Eichler – 2/21/22
- Podcast Feature: ‘Quick Pole Practice Session’ with Keith Laverty – Singletrack with Mathias Eichler – 10/12/21
- Teanaway Country 100 – 9/11/21
- Vashon Island 50k – 6/5/21
- How to Create a Return to Running Plan Post-Injury – NW Dirt Churners – May 2021
- The Ups and Downs: A Guide to Conquering Hills – NW Dirt Churners – February 2021
- Diamond in the Rough: Keith Laverty – Ultrarunning Magazine – January 2021
- The Grand Loop FKT Trip Report – 9/17/20
- Mt. Shasta 50k – 6/20/20
- California International Marathon – 12/8/19
- Is it Time to Hire an Online Running Coach? – The Wired Runner
- Race the Wolf 25k – 7/6/19
- McDowell Mountain Frenzy 50 mile – 12/1/18
- Millersylvania 50k – 6/16/18
- Rhody Run – 5/20/18
- Chuckanut 50k – 3/17/18
- The North Face 50 Mile San Francisco – 11/18/17
SOCIAL
Eric –
I’ve only been working with Keith for a couple of months now, but I’m already starting to see some significant improvement in my running in terms of speed, endurance and recovery time. I’m super excited to see where his coaching takes me in the coming year.
Stefan Matwijiw –
In January 2024, after months of diligently searching for the right coach, I started working with Keith Laverty. The experience has already been transformative to how I approach training and balancing that with hectic work/family commitments.
It’s clear that a significant amount of time and effort goes into Keith creating my personalized training plans, using fitness tests, and a variety of quality, structured workouts to help me understand my own body and areas or opportunity to help me achieve my goals. He is also understanding and quick to respond and update plans when things go array, such as when a sick child leads to missing a workout.
I obviously agree will all of the other 5-star reviews listed on this page and think they all speak to Keith’s experience and professionalism, as well as his commitment to the athletes’ success and well-being. I would also add that a huge and somewhat unforeseen benefit to me personally has been the ability for me to delegate this portion of my life to professional. I’m no longer spending hours per week second-guessing decisions I’m making on weekly training load/volume, quality workouts, when to cross train and when to rest, or feeling guilt for taking said rest days, etc. because I know that Keith has my back. This is allowing me to focus on progress and enjoyment of the sport, as well as removing any doubt that I’m not doing what I am supposed to be doing to achieve my goals as an athlete.
Alan Martin –
Working with Keith for over a year has been a rewarding experience. Right from our first conversation, Keith’s dedication and passion for running were evident. His extensive knowledge and unwavering commitment come across seamlessly during our conversations. Keith’s attentive listening and proactive approach, suggesting articles, podcasts, or new studies based on our talks, have been extremely beneficial. During my busy periods, I trust Keith’s adeptness in adjusting my run schedule, ensuring consistent progress. His guidance has reignited my passion for running and led me to achieve new milestones. Keith consistently exceeds expectations, making the running journey incredibly rewarding and inspiring.
Erica McDevitt –
I consider myself an average runner who loves goals and PR chasing. Before kids, I was an age group finisher and I loved that! More than anything I love running and beating my own times.
Fast forward to two kids later within 3 years and I’ve struggled to find the time and training I need to achieve those same goals.
Enter Keith.
Keith is an incredible coach. He understands the wild cards that kids can throw your way and adjusts my training in such a way that I don’t feel defeated each day I need to adjust my “me time” (aka running) bc of an unplanned child event.
He is responsive and gives great feedback when needed. I also love that he adds In strength training and stretching. It’s something that I usually throw on the back burner but have been much more disciplined with lately since hiring Keith as a coach.
I highly recommend Keith, and I’m only 2 months in :-). I’m so excited to see my progress under his supervision.
Susan Seah –
An incredible coach who cares about my well being and does what he can to help me work towards my goals. He is very patient despite my ups and downs with training due to my extremely busy lifestyle. He is beyond amazing and I am truly lucky to have found him as my coach! Thanks Keith for being in my corner! I know I will succeed in my goal of successfully completing a 50k and a 50 miler because of you.
Katie Cope –
Keith is an absolutely fantastic coach! I only wish I had started working with him earlier. Keith’s communication skills are phenomenal, he listens, he provides strategies and problem solves very quickly, and makes training fun. Keith is inspiring to work with and motivates me to be dedicated to my goals. I highly recommend Keith as a coach!
David Greenwood –
Keith has been an amazing coach. Leading up to my first 100, I was starting to worry that I was in over my head, so I started working with Keith. It was so nice to have someone take time to get to know you and your goals and your life situation, and then thoughtfully craft a training plan that works for your context. I also appreciate how dynamic Keith was – adapting the plan for injuries, schedule challenges, and importantly, a race cancellation. I was scheduled to do the Orcas 100, which was postponed a couple of months out. Keith not only thoughtfully adapted the training plan but also helped me find a substitute race -the Badger Mountain Challenge 100 miler.
Throughout the whole process, Keith has been a wealth of knowledge for all things nutrition/gear/strength conditioning/dealing with and working through pain and injuries/and then mentality aspects of the sport – which I found particularly helpful for my first 100. When the race day finally came, my training proved more or less perfect, as I had minimal physical issues during and after the race. But perhaps even more than the physical aspects of the race, I appreciated the peace of mind and confidence I had going into the race, that I had done what I could, I had followed a thoughtfully constructed training plan, prepared mentally, and I was ready to run.
Ron Kelly –
I’ve been working with Keith since early February after returning from running related injuries. My goal was to improve/train properly for trail running and races with my goal race being the Smith Rock 50K on May 14th. Keith’s certainly a wealth of knowledge and passionate about the sport. Keith is super responsive and adaptable and he’s helped me to not overdue it (mileage or pace) based on his training plans. I’m excited to continue to work with Keith and learn from him and his experience while I improve my trail running with the goal of completing a 100K in the future. I plan to continue the coaching relationship post the upcoming race. I would recommend Keith to any runner looking to take the next step in finding a coach.
Angie Moses –
Keith has been great to work with. I started with him earlier this year and have been very happy with Keith’s responsiveness to my questions or concerns and ability to change my schedule quickly if needed due to work or life with small kids. Keith seems to truly love the sport and sharing knowledge about his experiences and how to translate that into my own journey. I am newer to ultra running and feel I am living in a lot of uncharted waters, so having him as a coach to answer questions and provide a plan that I feel is very structured to my needs has been great. I would definitely recommend him to others. I am looking forward to training with him for my A race in June, and then really looking forward to how he can help me in my down season to build into my next adventure!
Stuart Ison –
I started working with Keith at the beginning of the year. He took the time to understand my goals and running history.
Keith put together a program that resulted in measurable improvement within a very short time .
When I have had to adjust the program to take into account inclement weather or travel. Keith has quickly responded to adjust the schedule.
As we’ve progressed he has adjusted the plan to shore up my weaknesses as they became apparent and has helped me to plan a race schedule for the year that fits in with my short and long term goals.
If you are looking for an effective, responsive coach, I highly recommend working with Keith!
Chanelle Lansley –
I feel super lucky to be able to work with Keith!
From the first introduction call with Keith, I knew that I would learn a lot from Keith’s coaching, improve my running, and recover from slight burnout. After a few months of working with Keith, I couldn’t be happier with how things are going. He is encouraging, highly responsive, and obviously very knowledgable! My running and my relationship with running has noticeably changed for the better and I attribute it to Keith’s coaching.
10/10 would recommend.
Mark Trueman –
I’ve been working with Keith leading up to my 2022 signature event, The Rut 50K. Keith’s coaching style and approach has helped renew and refresh my enthusiasm for running. I’m blown away by the progress I’m making in my endurance and speed since enlisting Keith’s help. Hiring Keith has been, without question, the best investment I’ve made in my own progress. At 35 years old, I thought my best running days were behind me… think again!
John Gregson –
Echoing what a lot of his other athletes have shared, my experience working with Keith has been great. I came to running later in life and this is my first time working with a coach. Until starting with Keith, I had been following some of the popular online training plans, trying to figure things out as I went along. While this approach got me across the finish line for multiple marathons, my improvements stalled. Wanting to take my racing to the next level, and get a better understanding of any untapped potential I might have lurking in my middle-aged body, I decided to enlist a coach. Enter Keith.
With Keith creating my plans, and providing clear and timely feedback, I’ve been able to just focus on my running/training. Knowing that I have an expert building my plans, I have confidence that I’m balancing my endurance, speed, and strength training in an optimal way. Rest has also seems to land on the calendar at just the right times. Three months in, I’ve remained injury free (knock on wood), while making steady gains in endurance and speed. And best of all, I’m not overthinking all of the little things I used to get hung up on when it comes to running frequency, distance, pace, etc. All in all, I’d highly recommend Keith as a coach.
Nathan Orf –
Have been working with Keith for a couple of months and it has been a great experience. He is extremely responsive, actively monitors/tweaks workouts based on feedback, and makes adjustments on the fly as needed to make the training program work with schedule/injury (as well as suggesting modifications/pre-hab/strength exercises to help keep me running injury free). Have managed to get in a more consistent/quality block of training in over the last several months than I’d been able to do previously following off the shelf training plans on my own. Looking forward to continuing to work with Keith as I prep for my first ultra. Would definitely recommend!
Scott DeFusco –
Keith helped re-energize my training and developed a comprehensive plan that covered various marathons and ultramarathons over a 4 month period. We also worked on the mental aspects of endurance running, which gave me a much deeper understanding of the mind-body connection. The workouts have been challenging and also fun.
kristen schindler –
Keith has been a game-changer for me as an athlete. Having a genuine coach who has my best interest in mind has transformed the way I look at training for big races. It’s also amplified the joy I get from running every day. I am so excited for all to come and am very grateful for everything I’ve already learned!
Nick Keenan –
I wish I had signed up for coaching from Keith earlier. I thought I’d wait until after my season to get the most of his support and insights — but I really could used him to help me recover from big efforts and races, set race strategies, and also fit in key workouts and strength work with everything else going on in-season.
The last few months with Keith have been so much better than I expected. He’s there as much as you need him to be. His workouts are thoughtful, personalized and purposeful. I love the strength work he’s provided as well, bite-sized but super-effective.
Old or young, fast or slow, 5k or 100M, and everything in between, Keith is fantastic. Make the most out of your training, and have a kind and supportive coach with you on your journey, you won’t regret it.
Brandon Tower –
Keith got me from a mid-training cycle injury to a marathon PR in less than two months. He’s super responsive, and always upbeat. Worth way more than what it costs to work with him.
Venessa Wahler –
I highly recommend Coach Keith to anyone looking to take their running to the next level. The experience of having a running coach over the last few months has been better than I even imagined. From the get-go I was experiencing residual issues following a Ragnar relay earlier this year. Keith referred me to a physical therapist who has been a great support. I really enjoy my custom plan and the ongoing support Keith provides. He is thorough, responsive, and I’ve learned so much about running and myself in this short time. I’ve been more consistent in my running than ever before – the accountability alone is invaluable! Keith engages regularly, offers a plethora of running pearls, and you can tell he takes pride in his work and the support he offers. I originally thought I would choose a female running coach, and I’m so glad I kept an open mind! I’ve felt fully supported as a female/parent/working/athlete. I am super excited to work with Coach Keith going forward!!
John Egenbacher –
Keith is a fantastic coach. He developed a training plan that makes sense for my goals, taking my life schedule into account, which is very busy. I am a long-time runner and hiker, so I decided to explore trail running. Keith made the sport accessible to me. He added a strength program into my training routine that helped me work through an old knee injury (I’ve had knee issues hiking downhill for a long, long time). Now I am hiking and running stronger than ever.
If you need a coach that will make you a better runner and help you enjoy running while taking your life schedule into account, look no further. Keith is the coach for you.
Will –
Keith has been exactly what I was looking for. My training program fits me perfectly and he’s very receptive to questions and requests. I’m particularly impressed by this, given that I’m older and quite a bit slower than he is, but his understanding of running and training runs so deep that he’s able to dial in to exactly what I need. We communicate via messaging several times a week and either talk or video chat at least monthly. I’m running more than ever now, getting more pleasure from it and seeing fewer injuries than at any point in the recent past.
Kevin Sasse –
Working with Keith has been an incredible experience. I’ve been running ultras for a little less than 5 years, and always using my own rudimentary training plans modeled off the wealth of conflicting information available online. After a realization this past fall that my aerobic machine was not what it could be, I wanted to work on my slow miles first before working with Keith. And so I did, for a few soggy winter months, and started working with Keith in February. I shouldn’t have waited!
Keith carefully and expertly works in a variety of runs: recovery, endurance, hills, VO2 max, mid-week and weekend long runs, etc. He prescribes mid-run notes as needed: strides, fartleks, intervals, extended warm up with some mid-run stretches before intervals, etc. And he crafted ten workout routines to cycles through, plus core workouts and injury prevention workouts. It has been a huge weight off my shoulders for someone who knows what they are doing to methodically incorporate all of these things into my training.
Keith structures all of this with his athlete in mind. He regularly looks at (and comments back!) on athlete post-workout comments, and is responsive to emails and other modes of communication. We also have a regular check-in call. More than once, I have logged on to Final Surge (his training platform) to see tweaks to upcoming workouts as he continues to modify the training to me personally. I have noticed an increase in my pacing (for the same relative effort), fewer signs of injury, and a quicker recovery from my weekend long runs.
I also cannot overemphasize the relief from not having to fret about training plans or modifications. When I emailed Keith that I was going to have to take a week off of running for a post-surgery recovery period, he eased my concerns about a loss of fitness and quickly crafted a training solution. When I told him I was traveling to Orcas Island, he prescribed an Orcas fun-run–basically, just find a fun route and do that. The flexibility AND structure gained from working with Keith has been a blessing.
Highly recommend working with Keith, regardless of your distance or goals.
Mjwehrle1 –
I’ve been working with Coach Keith Laverty for a few months now and so far, it has been great! I couldn’t be happier!
With races being cancelled and/or postponed due to the pandemic, I ended up losing my motivation and getting too complacent. I really needed an individualized training plan with structure, accountability and flexibility to get me back on track and “race-ready” for when things finally open-up again.
Keith’s programing is certainly doing that and more.
Currently we’re working on building a solid aerobic base, mixing in a robust strength and mobility routine. And, incorporating a little anaerobic work to keep things spicey.
Coach Laverty has been incredibly responsive since day one. Early on he provided excellent trekking pole recommendations and valuable tips for efficient up hill & down hill running for a local vertical challenge. We have also recalculated my aerobic threshold for more targeted HR training. And, discussed race nutrition and strategy.
I highly recommend his coaching services and look forward to the upcoming year.
There’s still much work to do but, I know I’m in good hands and will be ready for all the challenges.
Meghan P –
Renowned runner and writer Amby Burfoot once said, “When we run, we become.” As runners, of course we run! But what will you become? Broken down? Stressed? Hyper focused on extraneous details? Or stronger, faster, happier, and well-balanced? Keith Laverty is a coach who will enhance your running adventures. He is skillful at designing appropriately challenging workouts completed with thoughtful, timely, encouraging feedback. His sage running insight is curated from his vast, elite personal experience as well as current research. Keith constantly evaluates what’s best for his athletes, recognizing what needs to be learned or trained in order to strengthen physical and mental abilities for race day, while always spotlighting what he truly endorses, that running is joyful. Tricky schedules are most people’s realities, yet Keith carefully plans and adjusts to best maximize workout gains paying heed to the body’s requirement for proper recovery for adaptation. With Coach Keith Laverty you will run better, and whatever you become through your running journey, it too will be better.
anson.fatland –
It’s hard to find something to say about Keith that hasn’t already been said by everyone else. He’s a terrific coach and a delightful person. When we started our coaching he took the time to get to know me, my goals, and how we could have a successful coach-athlete relationship. Our relationship is collaborative in that he asks me how I’m doing physically and mentally, how I’m feeling, what he’s thinking about in the coming weeks and months and how I feel about that. Keith has really made me a partner in the process, which I love. He’s thoughtful in scheduling workouts, remembering commitments I have in life. He coaches the entire athlete, taking into account strength work, mental health, and overall well-being. I feel lucky to work with him and can’t recommend him enough to anyone looking for a coach at any stage. He’s quite simply the best.
Trent Haas –
Keith is great. Workouts are timely made, well tailored to my fitness and improving my performance. Keith is available anytime for changes and consultation. His use of technology is also a plus.
Scott Sedlik –
Keith is an experienced ultrarunner and coach who has introduced me to some new training concepts (plyometrics) and exercises, along with guiding me through a host of fartleks, intervals, hill training and pre-run exercises in my weekly training schedule. We had a long initial phone call and he checks in regularly on my training progress. I feel lucky that we were even able to run together recently on Bainbridge Island trails and chat about running nutrition tips and planning for my upcoming 50K. I highly recommend Keith!
Jennifer Krick –
Working with Keith has been great. You can tell he puts a lot of thought into the training plan and the variety of workouts keeps it challenging and interesting. I can tell I am getting stronger and even though I am running more weekly miles than I ever have, my body isn’t nearly as sore or rundown as when I was following a cookie cutter plan out of a book. His comments are helpful and encouraging and a huge bonus of him being local is that he has great suggestions for running routes. I highly recommend working with Coach Keith!
Noelline Taillefer –
Thank you for getting me back on track. Keth keeps me motivated, the trainings schedule is tailored to my complicated life. He’s very responsive to all of my questions. I would really recommend working with him!
Stephu u2 –
Working with Keith has been great and I would recommend him to anyone. He helped me safely build mileage back up to half marathon distance after my 8-month hiatus from running.
Communication was excellent. He put a lot of thought into my training plan. I look forward to all he is going to help me accomplish this year!
Simon Gaunt –
Really enjoying working with Keith the last few months, I really needed some structure and accountability and that’s exactly what I’ve gotten. I tend to travel a fair bit so Keith has been very good about accomodating my schedule, and in turn I’ve run far more on my travels than I ever have before.
I’ve enjoyed the variety of the workouts and while I’ve not yet raced to see what sort of progress I’m making on that front, I can tell that I have a nice base starting to build that I’ve not had the discipline to do for myself in the past. Overall, really enjoying my running and excited to see how things go moving forward.
Will Voelzke –
I highly recommend Keith. He definitely knows what he’s doing. Very good coach.
I started working with Keith two months ago per the recommendation of my brother, who has been working with Keith for much longer. My brother and Keith are both in Washington state, and I am on the East Coast. Even though there’s a distance, Keith has been very responsive to emails and questions. My brother was traveling to the East Coast for Thanksgiving, and he and I were going to run a 10K hilly course together, and Keith took the time to look over the course and make a plan for the hills. It really helped on race day.
Also at various times during my training, I had a couple of issues come up, and Keith was very responsive to making changes in my training plan. I found it very helpful to have a coach so I could stay on track. There were a couple of days where I didn’t feel like running, but I didn’t want to disappoint Keith or stay off of our training plan.
Overall this has been a great experience. I highly recommend Keith. He seems to really care about his clients.
voelzkeb –
Great experience with Keith so far. Very responsive to emails/questions. Have enjoyed his help w/ exercises for injury prevention . Highly recommend!
Ean Wilson –
I was very skeptical about online coaching prior to finding Coach Keith, but he very quickly proved me wrong. I have been working with Keith for the last 3 months on preparation for my first 50k and it has been great! He is always readily available to field any questions I have, his recommendations have always been spot on, and he adapts my training plan to best suit me. If you’re looking for someone to get you ready for your next race, or improve your overall ability to run, Coach Keith is definitely the guy for the job!
gosborn –
Working with Keith has been great! I’ve never worked with a more considerate and responsive coach. He is quick to adapt and change plans when life gets in the way. The thought he puts into his communication and workout plans is amazing. My runs have been getting way faster, but more importantly, I’ve learned a ton from Keith.
I’m two time zones away, but communicating with Keith is easy.
I once had a question about a hill workout and emailed him about 30 minutes before I headed out the door. Before I got to the first hill, I received a thorough and excellent explanation and was able to crush the workout.
Furthermore, I feel that he’s put a lot of energy into learning about my area, the terrain and the races around me. Highly recommended to anyone, local to the Seattle area or around the world!
bshiers –
I’ve been working with Keith for a couple of months prepping for a marathon. In that time, I’ve seen my fitness improve – with faster times (2 half PR’s) and improving my overall strength. He’s been super responsive to questions and adjusting to crazy weather and a busy life. He’s great at digging into the data from the workouts and finds new workouts that keep pushing me but keeping me healthy along the way.
All around a positive experience that I highly recommend to anyone ready to start running or improve where they are at today.
jose rocha –
keith is an excellent coach
I recommend him for people interested in improving their race’s times
tsprague –
I’ve been working with Keith for almost three months, and I have already progressed so much towards my goals. About 6 months ago I suffered some mental burn out from training and lifestyle monotony. Now I’m back on track, in the best shape of my life, and have a full year’s worth of races on my calendar. We have worked cooperatively to find the sweet spot growth edge for me, and making sure to emphasize recovery and ancillary training as well. Keith’s knowledge of the local and regional running scene and many trail races all across the West has been invaluable as well, since I try to choose the funnest, most unique and premier events possible since one can only do so many per year. I’m looking forward to year of PRs and firsts, and growing as a runner and coach myself.
Sithebee –
So stoked to get to write a review for Keith – I have been working with him for 3 months so far, and cannot believe the progress I have made in that time. He is clearly an expert endurance athlete who seamlessly transfers his knowledge and enthusiasm into training plans that are both adaptable/flexible and challenging, and is immediately available to explain the theory/practice behind the plan, discuss awesome/not so awesome days, troubleshoot nutrition and recovery, and provide grounded encouragement. He carefully reviews running data on Strava (the platform I use) as well as the subjective feedback I write in a shared training log. He is very sensitive and accommodating to life constraints on training. Running hasn’t been this fun and hopeful in a while, and I am so grateful to Keith for that transition, and so looking forward to the races to come out of this partnership.
koreykonga –
I own a small coaching business myself, so I expect a certain level of care, knowledge, and responsiveness when I’m working with Coach (which I haven’t totally experienced in the past as a client). Keith has been all of that! He’s awesome. Not only is his methodology successful, but he truly listens and talks through any concerns I may have about our immediate or future plan. He takes my feedback into consideration, adjusts accordingly, and gets back to me pretty damn quick when I need a chat.
It’s great to work with a Coach who really gives a s*#%!
11/10 would recommend to a friend!
Keep it up Team RunRun
Kim Carmel –
I feel so lucky that I’ve been able to work with Keith for the past few months, as I prep for my first 50k. He’s been an awesome listener and teacher. My weekly workout plans fit in well with my busy life, and he continues to inspire and push me each week to do better—and have fun in the process! He’s been very responsive to all of my questions, helped me work through minor injuries and a case of the flu, and is generally an excellent human being to know. I never thought I could do a 50k, but now I know I’ll be up for the challenge come race day!